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Letters To Jan
New Year's Resolution: Be on Time!
Is your New Year's Resolution to be on time?
Do you know someone who's always late?
Scan this blog for five quick ways your Time Timer can help!
Add your family's ideas in the comments!
Being late can sound so glamorous ~
"Fashionably late!"
"Burning the midnight oil."
"The winning shot at the buzzer!"
... But it's also one of the toughest habits to break. "Time" is an abstract, intangible thing. That's why the first 20 minutes of your day can drag while the last 20 minutes of a deadline can zoom away in seconds!
Your Time Timer can help you stay ahead of the ticking clock.
That's how Time Timer inventor Jan Rogers uses hers:
"We attend so many trade shows in different time zones. I want to be wide awake and in my booth to see people when the doors open. So I set the iPhone App for 30 minutes in the morning to keep me from dawdling."
Have you met Jan at a trade show? Say hi on Facebook!
Keep that New Year's Resolution:
1. Improve your internal clock
Pick a manageable timeframe ~ say 20 minutes or a 1/2 hour. Display it on your Time Timer.
+ Spend part of your day (say, the morning) completing work in that timeframe.
+ Enjoy breakfast, write emails, schedule meetings and organize the house in 20 or 30-minute segments.
+ Over time, your brain will learn what that timeframe "feels" like.
+ Next time you're rushed with 30 minutes to go, you'll know how much you can accomplish in that time, reducing stress!
2. Do your driving first
This is surprisingly helpful.
+ If the kids are always late to soccer practice, drive there first, then do homework, games, even dinner while you wait.
+ If you're always late to work or appointments, drive there first then do your hair, emails, even workouts once you arrive.
+ Display your Time Timer in the car to help you de-stress.
Then, no matter how many distractions descend once you arrive, you're on time and not rushed.
– Remember: being five minutes late is OK. Driving while rushed is dangerous!
3. Maximize the first five minutes
Tempted to walk in the door, drop everything and chill? Not so fast! Maximize those first five minutes at home.
+ Place your shoes, coat, mittens, scarf, sunglasses, wallet, etc. by the door ready to go.
+ Leave most of your briefcase / backpack contents in the bag – take out only what you need.
+ Set your Time Timer for five minutes. Be sure everything is organized and easy to find.
+ Organizing in those first five minutes can eliminate frantic rushing when it's time to go!
4. Always leave the house the same way
This may feel robotic at first ~ but it'll help you be on time!
+ Using your Time Timer, create a 3-minute morning routine for leaving the house. Add 3 minutes for each family member.
+ Figure out which distractions are making you late in the morning, and set up a routine to avoid them.
+ Is it faster to pack your briefcase, then get your coat, then pull out your keys?
+ Get up & go in the same order every day. You'll minimize those distractions that are making you late!
5. Reward yourself
Tell people about your New Year's Resolution to be on time. It's one of the hardest resolutions to keep! Reward yourself for making every moment count. Use that extra time to do something you love.
Add your ideas in the comments!
